1. Wasteland 2. Revenge 3. Bullets & Blades 4. Undead 5. Merritt's Girlfriend 6. Sudden Death 7. Wargasm 8. Le Cou Cou 9. Humanoid

With their debut album Wargasm added some inventive touches to the standard thrash metal formula. For being the band's first release, Why Play Around? is surprisingly mature and filled with incredibly tasty and catchy riffs. The music contains some strong Motorhead influences, which shows in the relaxed sound and bouncy rhythms of many songs on this album. Actually, it isn't until Undead when the band really hit the full speed, however, the quality of riffs is quite amazing throughout this recording and the rich production only helps to highlight this fact. The vocals sound a bit thin, but they still fit the band's style very well. Why Play Around? may not be the fastest thrash metal album around, but there's no reason to complain about it when the music is this good.

1. Rudest Awakening 2. Enemy Mine 3. Chameleon 4. I Breathe Fire 5. Ugly Is To The Bone 6. Slow Burn 7. Blood Flood 8. One Man Army 9. Spirit In Decay 10. Dead Man's Smile 11. Dreadnaught Day

It certainly took its time for Wargasm's second release to appear, but the final result is a worthy successor to Why Play Around?. The sound of Ugly is more varied and not quite as intense as on the band's debut, but as a whole this album still has the characteristic Wargasm sound with some genuinely catchy riffs and original songwriting. While some tracks could be directly from the debut album, the general style is not as consistent though even a couple of more unorthodox tracks (the laidback Chameleon in particular) blend rather smoothly with the rest. While this album doesn't feature too many stand-out tracks except for the snappy Rudest Awakening and the stomping One Man Army, the whole thing is more than a sum of its parts. Even with some less streamlined content, Ugly manages to create a strangely intriguing as well as positive atmosphere.

1. Shark Attack 2. Blow You Away 3. S.O.P. 4. Jabberjaw 5. Barrage Of Skankers 6. United Shoebrothers 7. Part II... 8. Go Home 9. Anti 10. Napalm Shower 11. Crazy Ways People Die 12. Fretboard Gymnastics 13. Termination

Wehrmacht's Shark Attack is quite possibly one of the fastest thrash metal albums ever recorded. Somehow the band managed to fit verses, guitar solos, and other typical parts into 2-3 minutes in such way that in the end it feels almost like ordinary thrash metal that is just played faster than it really makes sense. There are lots of humorous overtones as well, some of them intentional and others maybe not - at times this band's spontaneous disorder brings even S.D.I. to mind. On the minus side, some of this fresh energy tends to get buried in the near chaotic mix of instruments. Wehrmacht must have been a great experience playing live, but on studio recordings some of this effect goes to waste even though the band's inhuman speed is impressive. That and the fact that this is by no means a piece of music you would enjoy frequently, and Shark Attack becomes something of a guilty pleasure. Not for the dead serious or those who value technical merits over high spirits.

1. Stage Dive 2. Red Bomb 3. Last Man Alive 4. Message In Blood 5. War Monger 6. Power Thrashing Death 7. Stirring The Cauldron 8. Spit On Your Grave 9. Nailed To The Cross

Whiplash were a real cult band in the early thrash metal scene and surely proved their worth already on their first release. Power And Pain is full of relentless, straightforward pounding and the band's characteristic machine gun riffs. Although a lot of the material sounds a bit samey to me and Tony Portaro's vocals are extremely raw, there's something fresh and honest in this kind of no-nonsense thrash supported by adequate production values. Granted, it's not exactly a great piece of art, but with track titles like Stage Dive and Power Thrashing Death you know what to expect and no less. Don't let the primitive looks fool you, Power And Pain contains an essential dose of old thrash metal done in the true Whiplash style.

1. Perpetual Warfare 2. Walk The Plank 3. Last Nail In The Coffin 4. Drowning In Torment 5. Burning Of Atlanta 6. Eternal Eyes 7. Snake Pit 8. Spiral Of Violence 9. Respect The Death 10. Perpetual Warfare

Compared to the band's debut, Ticket To Mayhem was already a bit more diverse Whiplash release, this time with a clearly better and sharp production. Anyhow, songwise the differences are minor. While the debut album was a hard-hitting, raw piece of metal, Ticket To Mayhem just adds some variety to the formula. Tracks like Last Nail In The Coffin and Spiral Of Violence in particular stand out with their acoustic guitar parts, though as a whole this thing is still on the safe side of pure thrashing mayhem. Although their albums are not absolute masterpieces of the genre, Whiplash certainly lived up to their name as far as the intensity of music is considered.

1. Voice Of Sanity 2. Hiroshima 3. Insult To Injury 4. Dementia Thirteen 5. Essence Of Evil 6. Witness To The Terror 7. Battlescars 8. Rape Of The Mind 9. Ticket To Mayhem 10. Pistolwhipped

Insult To Injury introduced some remarkable changes in the traditional Whiplash sound as the band now had a dedicated vocalist with a drastically different style. Glenn Hansen had a high yet appealing voice that is actually one of the best I've heard in the genre. The songs on this album were obviously written to better suit the new vocal style, and the result sounds unlike any of the earlier Whiplash albums. The music is still fast, heavy and strong, just different than before, and Insult To Injury is actually my favorite Whiplash release. The band sound just awesome on this album, and it's a real shame that Hansen never sang in Whiplash again. Even though the old fans might think different, Insult To Injury is a great thrash metal album.

1. Temple Of Punishment 2. Stab 3. This 4. Killing On Monroe Street 5. King With The Axe 6. Strike Me Blind 7. Memory Serves 8. Ressurection Chair 9. House With No Doors 10. Thrash 'Til Death 11. Nails In Me Deep

After spending some years with varied metal productions, Whiplash returned with the original line-up and a healthy thrash metal album of the most familiar style. The years between Thrashback and Insult To Injury definitely show in the musical development of the band, though. Despite having its roots still firmly in thrashy grounds, Thrashback is not all the time an album of such straightforward and simple thrash metal attack as in the past. Especially Tony Portaro's vocals are so drastically different from the oldest Whiplash recordings that you wouldn't believe - the gap between his old raw style and this much more refined singing found here is simply huge. That is not to say that you wouldn't get what you pay for; maybe this album is not quite as innovative or memorable as those released in the eighties, but it is still the original Whiplash and not some umpteenth generation copy of the same style. You could do a lot worse than this.

1. It's Enough 2. Psychic Warfare 3. I.O.U. 4. The End Of The Century 5. Splended Deed 6. Mirror Never Lies 7. Pull Down The Wall 8. Speed Thrashing Kids 9. Tormmel Bass

Based on Splended Deed, Wicca had clearly more in common with their American contemporaries than the local German scene. The sound is heavy and thumping and the band play in such way that you would expect to hear a similar thing only from a whole different continent indeed. It must be said that the songs in general are not too exceptional, mostly derived from the same standard patterns that are repeated over and over, but the band's eager and powerful performance deserves at least an honorary nod regardless of the true strength of their material. While the music may be only slightly above average, this album actually sounds better than the majority of releases from the same period - the latter aspect should provide enough of a reason for anyone to give Splended Deed a fair try whenever readily available.

1. Medicine Blues 2. The First... 3. Misery's Genocide 4. Who Is Fat? 5. Harmony Or Violence 6. Words Of Desolation 7. Dartherium 8. ...And The Last

If there's a worse way to start a thrash metal album than with a blues/jazz piece then let's hope no one ever tries to use it. Witchhammer's debut The First And The Last surely does not sound like the most conventional release for the first couple of minutes, but after you get to the real meat of the album it is much more faithful to the genre antics than you might think based on the first track only. At this stage Witchhammer played pretty typical thrash metal with only a couple of notable hints of their later experimental ideas to come, and the result as such is not exactly too promising. All right, so the music is brisk enough to appeal to your senses on a certain primitive level, but a real good album it does not make. The First And The Last is not the worst debut release, but it is seriously left behind Witchhammer's other recordings that followed this one.

1. Liberty 2. Mirror, My Mirror 3. Underground Ways 4. From A Suicide Man To God 5. Mad Inspiration 6. A Party For The Sunrise 7. The Worm That Turned Into Man 8. The Ice Starts To Melt Again (Dartherium - Part II) 9. Hair 10. The Lost Song

The first few moments of Mirror, My Mirror sound like a Brazilian version of Nightwish with operatic female vocals and classy arrangements, but after a short intro the album jumps into full thrash metal gear. With this release Witchhammer's sound became more original and diverse than on the debut, the diversity going so far that this album contains not only a couple of hardcore-ish tracks but also two whole bluesy rockers, something that makes quite a difference from the otherwise perfect thrash metal mayhem. This lack of focus is a bit of a shame since at their best, like on the title track and A Party For The Sunrise, the band deliver some highly effective thrash metal which does not pale in comparison to most other bands, and without a few unorthodox tracks in between this album could have been even more impressive than now. Despite some inconsistency Mirror, My Mirror is still an interesting effort, something else than your most average thrash formula.

1. Blood On The Rocks 2. God's Growing Older 3. The Leather Boy 4. The Orchestra Of Irony 5. Call X 6. Looking For War 7. Bitter Night (Far From Home) 8. Switched On Telly 9. Path To The Cemetery 10. Terrorist Prize

Blood On The Rocks closely follows Witchhammer's recipe for sharp thrash metal that took off on Mirror, My Mirror. The title song opens the album with some great basic riffage, nothing that hasn't been heard before, but more than appropriate for a start. The next couple of tracks have a lot slower tempo, down to some blatantly groovy moments, and during The Leather Boy you could almost start to suspect that this band, too, fell victims to the effect of Metallica's black album. Fortunately the truth is not really that bad, as the rest of this release mostly stays in the familiar thrash metal realm, and any side steps must be more due to Witchhammer's natural tendency to experiment with things. You still get to hear one more blues piece which already seems like an inevitable necessity on a Witchhammer album at this point. This record makes almost a typical entry in the band's discography - while the music is sometimes more varied than you would mind, there is some serious thought behind it all.

1. Oija Board 2. Me, Damn Lawless Killer (Disgrace Maker) 3. Metaphysics 4. Wrath Of Witchhammer 5. Dartherium 6. The Machine Of War 7. Kill Us! 8. Remains The Same (Dartherium III) 9. Witchery 10. Headbangers Unite 11. Weekend In Auschwitz 12. Worldegeneration 13. Perseguicao

Witchhammer's comeback album Ode To Death should not disappoint anyone familiar with the band's earlier works. Diverse vocals and a good production make this one of the best sounding albums from the band so far, even though their older recordings are by no means of bad quality either. Besides an occasional hint of modern times, musically it is really not too much different from the past although it seems that the band's unruly edge has only sharpened over the years. Of course, this wouldn't be a true Witchhammer release if the music was nothing but straightforward thrashing all the way, but at least there are none of those shameless blues tracks in sight anymore. Ode To Death simply contains some quite well played thrash metal that provides no new perspectives but is surely energetic and entertaining enough to justify its existence.

1. Manifestants 2. Pain 3. Black 'n' Whites 4. Foxes 5. Waiting For Sense 6. Desert 7. Sickened Nation 8. Nasty - Ment 9. Survive

Wolf Spider's Kingdom Of Paranoia is an album of somewhat less ordinary technical speed/thrash metal from Poland. Comparisons to early Mekong Delta or even Realm are not too far-fetched, although Wolf Spider's music is notably less experimental and often much more blatantly catchy. The compositions are almost too clever at times, many of them you could label as "jumpy". Then again, if such tracks as Pain and Foxes do not immediately stick to your head like a permanent glue, in both good and bad, then you should have your hearing examined. While Kingdom Of Paranoia has its lightsome moments as well, the songs are generally very well written and played. If you happen to like the style of Mekong Delta's first two albums, with a bit lighter tone and some more melodic touches added, this one is practically a no-brainer - a pretty cool album, no less.

1. Blind Faith 2. Liberated Woman 3. Inclined 4. My Home 5. Drifting In The Sullen Sea 6. King Of The Animals 7. Freedom 8. Black 'n' White Part II 9. Enterprising Man 10. Orphanage 11. Mustapha (bonus)

If Kingdom Of Paranoia had been a double album, Drifting In The Sullen Sea could have been the second half of it. This recording continues to exercise Wolf Spider's technical style to such extent that you may notice some obvious mannerism. One could argue that a certain amount of trickiness and a playful feel are an elemental part of Wolf Spider's sound, but there is almost a danger of slight overload here. It cannot be denied that the songs remain as catchy as it gets, and the first three tracks alone probably make this album worthwhile to most people. The production is good even though the general sound could have been a bit heavier to compensate for repeated light technical twiddling. If Kingdom Of Paranoia hit the mark for you then Drifting In The Sullen Sea is almost a required pick with more of the same, however, it might not be recommended as the first peek into Wolf Spider's music.

1. Sex Shop 2. It's Only Vodka 3. Sex Maniacs 4. Mafia 5. Homeless Children 6. Terrorists 7. Down The Drain 8. Puppet 9. Verge Of Sanity

Expecting Hue Of Evil to share the same kind of quality as Kingdom Of Paranoia and Drifting In The Sullen Sea could lead to a slight disappointment, as this album shows Wolf Spider playing more straightforward and typical speed/thrash metal than on previous releases. There are still some slight technical touches audible on these tracks, but the band have toned down their melodic tendencies by a notch. As a result, the songs are not quite as catchy anymore although not totally unmemorable either. The music is generally faster than earlier, and some of the most frantic pieces are respectable for their sheer speed alone. The album does not quite draw your attention in the same way as the band's other works, though, and the lack of real highlight tracks gives something of a lackluster impression. It's not too bad for an ordinary thrash metal album, but Wolf Spider have done also better than this.

1. Full Scale Attack 2. Hell On Earth 3. Vigilante 4. Devils Child 5. Maniac 6. Death By Default 7. Evil Lives 8. Traitors Gate

By looks only, Wolfpack's musical demonstration had potential to become something worth a special note. But even though Total Head Removal must have got one of the best titles ever given to a metal album, the content of this release has not aged too gracefully. In large part, Wolfpack's music is quite straightforward and simple speed/thrash metal of the most vintage kind, comparable to At War's style from the same period. While it is indeed a strong contender for extra nostalgia points, today this album just doesn't feel as hard-hitting as in the old days. Wolfpack's attack is still worth mentioning for its unpolished rough charm, carrying genuine echoes of the past, but it must be said that this is not nearly the sharpest example of its kind anymore.

1. R.I.P. (Ripped Into Pieces) 2. Mutants 3. Hell Is Full 4. Painless 5. Fear Itself 6. Sudden Death 7. Incineration / Caustic Sleep 8. When Worlds Collide 9. Victims In The Void (bonus)

Having started somewhere between genres, Wrath made a fine speed metal album with Nothing To Fear which closely resembles the early works of Overkill (Feel The Fire and Taking Over in particular). The vocalist sounds like a more nasty version of Overkill's Blitz and it takes some time to get used to his voice, however, the style perfectly fits the general feel of this album. The music is pretty solid in the early Overkill vein, with a great dynamic and heavy production. Tracks like R.I.P. and Sudden Death are some great thrashers that even many bigger bands would be proud of. Wrath's approach is not the fastest or most frantic around, with a lot of variable tempos and somewhat technical feel, but with some of the better riffs collected together and a good dose of nasty attitude the outcome sounds surprisingly good.